Back to the Past
by CapitalD
Summary: Riza finally takes a vacation and visits her hometown, with Roy following after her. Her childhood friend tells her there is a high school reunion. What will Riza do when she meets all the people who had bullied her in the past? Major Royai!
1. Part 1

As the train slowly rolled into the station, Riza began to feel her chest clench in anticipation and dread. It has been over ten years since she's left her hometown and hasn't visited once since then. As she stepped off the train, her heart raced and her mind filled itself with nostalgic memories. She breathed in deeply before walking slowly towards the exit.

It was the first time since the beginning of her career that she has taken the full paid vacation allocated to each military personnel every year. After over ten years, Riza felt the sudden urge to take a break from all the chaos in Central and travel out west to her hometown for old times sake. Which was why Riza was now in Hawthorn for the next two weeks. She believed it was the right time to take a long vacation, after all, she felt her mission was accomplished after Roy had finally been elected as the new Fuhrer.

Riza made her way down the market, which was the only route she could take to get to her old house. Even after ten years, she still remembered exactly how to get home even with her eyes closed. She couldn't help but be amazed by all the changes that had taken place while she was gone. It was much livelier than she ever remembered it to be and the number of merchants, as well as buyers, had increased tremendously. Riza recognized a few of the merchants and smiled to herself, reminiscing on the past when she used to come down every week to do her grocery shopping. These old ladies were like family to her. Since her mother had past away when she was just a young child, the ladies at the market were more than glad to be there for her when she needed comfort. They had all aged gracefully and she wouldn't be surprised if none of them even remembered her.

"Riza? Is that you?" Riza was jerked out of her reveries when she heard one of the ladies call her. She felt her heart leap in excitation at the mere thought that one of them had recognized her.

"Yes, Mrs Martin, it's me," she answered with a shy smile.

Mrs Martin clasped her hands to her mouth as she gasped. Her eyes teared up and she quickly made her way to see her. She took both of Riza's hand into her own and gave her a long heartwarming stare.

"Where have you been all this time? We were so worried about you! You just suddenly left town and nobody knew where you went. Have you been living well? What are you doing these days?" Riza felt her own eyes prickle with tears threatening to come out. She was surprised and felt touched by the sincere feeling of this old lady. She had never known the love of a mother, but she had always hoped it was similar to the care these ladies had given her throughout her childhood.

Riza smiled and said, "Yes I've been living well. I'm sorry I haven't come back sooner to visit. I've just been so busy all these years, so it took me over ten years to come back."

Mrs Martin's outburst had attracted the attention of the other ladies of the same generation. They all rushed to her as they recognized who Mrs Martin was talking to and hugged her while crying.

"I'm glad you all still remember me. I wasn't sure if there was still anyone in this town that knew me." She said in embarrassment from all the attention she was receiving from these ladies. Riza wasn't the type to enjoy being in the center of attention in such a crowded area.

One of them slapped her lightly on her shoulder and said, "Of course we remember you! You were this market's favorite customer and a daughter to all of us! You don't know how worried we were after you left without a word. We had no idea where to look for you. Where have you been all this time?"

Riza smiled sadly, "I enrolled in the military academy after my father passed away. I'm now a military officer working in Central." Riza heard them gasped and look at her with worried glances. "It's alright. I'm here now aren't I? I like my job and I think it suits me fine."

After a moment of hesitation, Mrs Martin spoke up, "I'm glad you're living well. Are you here to visit your parents' graves?", when Riza nodded, she continued, "when you were gone, we each took turns from time to time cleaning up their resting place, pulling out the weeds and all."

"Thank you so much, all of you. I can never tell you how grateful I am and how much I am in debt to all of you."

This made all the ladies scream and scold her out loud. "Don't say that, child. We don't do this to make you repay us one day. We do this from our hearts."

After a few more minutes of chatting, most of them had to return to their stalls since they couldn't be left unattended for too long. Mrs Martin, being the last one to stay with her, only returned to work after she had made Riza promise to come back to see them before leaving.

It took another twenty minutes before Riza reached a small cemetery on the outskirts of town. She stopped by the gates, holding two bouquets of flowers and stared at all the tombstones in the distance. Her eyes didn't focus on anything in particular. She was lost in her thoughts, trying to remember her parents, but found it to be a more difficult task than she imagined. With heavy steps, she entered the graveyard and walked silently to her parents' graves.

Her father had been buried beside her mother because she thought that maybe her mother could help her father regain happiness in the afterlife. At least that's what she hoped for her father. She couldn't remember one moment from her childhood when her father was living happily with her, nor could she remember a time when he smiled at her. But he was still her father and she loved him nonetheless.

"Father, mother, it's me, Riza. Sorry it took such a long time to come visit. A lot of things have happened these last ten years. If you've been watching over me, then you should know all the things that happened right?" Riza felt ridiculous talking to the cold stones. She knew her parents weren't there anymore and that no one was listening to her. She was a rational person and knew that if the men from work ever saw her talk like this, they would definitely think she has gone crazy.

But at this moment, Riza didn't want to be the rational, serious adult she has been for all her life. She wanted, for once, to be someone's child, even if they were dead. She never had a parent whom she could confide in and talk about all the troubles she's been going through. It wasn't the same as talking to a friend about your problems. Even at that, Riza wasn't the kind of person to open up and speak about her feelings.

"Father, you remember Roy, your apprentice, right? He's doing a good job fixing up our country. He's been the Fuhrer for the past year now. He has also taken good care of me like he promised you he would. In fact, we're dating now. I just thought I would tell you so you wouldn't be mad. I hope it's alright with you. I really do like him." She paused, hesitating whether she should continue or not.

"Mother, I'm sure you would like him. Just ask father about him. He's a good man. One day I'll bring him here so you can see what he's become. I'm sure you'll find him handsome like I do." Riza smiled to herself. If her parents were alive, she thought, that would be the kind of conversation she would have liked to have with them. She could only imagine their responses, but it pleased her nonetheless.

"I'll come back to visit soon again mother, father."

Riza walked away, satisfied with her first visit in years. In the beginning, she was afraid that her emotions would get the better of her, but she realized that time had healed her lonely heart. The friends she made and the man she had given her life to had made her forget the emptiness throughout the years. The longing for her parents disappeared and was replaced by happiness from her friends and from Roy.

She would always remember the moment Roy had confessed to her. She was shocked and surprised when he told her his feelings, but deep down she felt that she had already known the truth. They shared a bond that not many people had. They had spent so many years together that they could feel each other's love even if it was never pronounced. Their actions and their everyday lives were proof enough of their strong bond. However, it was only formally confirmed when Roy told her he loved her. Riza felt her heart quicken just thinking about it and felt a smile pull at her lips.

* * *

><p>Riza walked up the hill that led to her house in a lighter mood. There was an almost unnoticeable bounce in her steps and a light humming coming from her closed mouth. For a stranger, she might have looked like any other person having a good day, but for someone who knew Hawkeye, she was most definitely in her best possible mood.<p>

Arriving at the old house, any normal person would've felt dejected at the first sight. Thick vines were crawling all over the brick wall, a part of the roof was falling apart, some bricks were breaking down and everything just looked worn out. Riza took each step carefully and walked up the cringing steps of the front door. She slid in her old key into the rusted door hole. The key had been kept with her ever since she left. She had never bothered to sell the house, maybe because, despite her lonely family, she had still felt an emotional attachment to the place.

When she opened the door, a cloud of dust welcomed her and she coughed waving her hands to disperse it. The sudden opening had made fresh air enter the house for the first time in over ten years and she had to squint her eyes and cover her mouth and nose with her arm while going in to avoid breathing in too much dust. She stood there in the threshold and thought, '_Where do I start?_', followed by a sigh. Everything was covered by a thick layer of dust, some windows had cracked glass and chipped wooden frames and there were some rotten wood caused by a leaking roof. Before she had the chance to do anything, there was a knock on her open door and someone called out, "Repair man!".

Riza jumped lightly and spun on her heals, astounded by the repair man's miraculous visit, but mostly by the fact that she hadn't noticed his presence.

"What? But I didn't-"

She was met face to face with Roy Mustang and his wide grin. A moment of silence passed between them as they stood motionless, Roy with his grin and Riza with her mouth agape.

"Roy, what are you doing here?" she asked sternly, breaking the silence.

"I'm here to repair your house," he said, like it was the most obvious answer.

"No, I mean why are you here when you're supposed to be in Central working as the Fuhrer?" she asked in an slightly irritated voice.

"Oh that's easy. I followed you." He crossed his arms and smirked triumphantly.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to spend time with you of course."

"What about your work?"

"I secretly applied for my formal vacation too, the same time as yours," he answered with a smile, only to receive a dubious look from Riza.

Roy smirked and said, "don't be grumpy just because you never noticed my presence."

Roy knew he hit the spot when her eyes widened for a split second and her muscles tensed. She didn't say anything but sent him a death glare. Roy laughed out loud and circled his arms around her, bringing her close to him.

"I really just wanted to spend some time with you. And I wanted to make sure you were alright coming back here alone. But I think I was too worried over nothing because I saw how happy you were when you walked over here," he gave her a knowing smirk.

Riza felt her cheeks flare up at the embarrassing thought and hid her face in his chest with a defeated groan. Roy chuckled and pulled her face up and planted a soft kiss on her lips, which made her smile.

"Shall we clean this place up?"

"How do you plan to do that? There's so much things to clean that I don't know where to start." Riza said.

"Don't worry, darling. This is where your favorite alchemist comes in." He clapped his hands and touched the floor. In a few seconds, all the dust disappeared like it was never there in the first place. Roy got up and laughed aloud. He always like to play the macho man in front of Riza, especially when it came to something she didn't know how to do and he did, which didn't happen often. Riza feigned surprise and playfully exclaimed, "Oh my, Roy Mustang! I didn't know you could be this useful!"

"Hey! Don't make fun of me with such a cute voice." he, in turn, feigned to be hurt. Riza laughed softly and walked to him. "I'm glad you came Roy."

"I know," he gave her his infamous arrogant smirk. Riza only rolled her eyes. They had a lot to do that day, but it was definitely going to be much faster and cheaper for her with Roy doing all the fixing using his alchemy.

By late afternoon, the house was almost as good as new, even a little better than she remembered it to be. Riza had done many batches of laundry, washing all the drapes, the blankets, the bed sheets and everything that she deemed appropriate to go into the washing machine. She was glad Roy had gotten rid of all the dust in the house because she wouldn't have been able to finish cleaning even one floor.

Riza was outside hanging the wet laundry on a line Roy had made, or more like transmuted, for her when she heard him ask, "Riza, does this look okay to you?"

Roy was on top of a ladder trimming the vines climbing on the wall of the house. They had decided to keep it there, because it ended up giving a good look to the house, with a little trimming of course.

"Hmm, cut a little more from that side," she replied after analysing his work.

Roy got down from him ladder and moved it to the spot she had pointed to. As he was climbing up again, he playfully said, "You know, you can be court marshalled for ordering around the country's Fuhrer in doing hard labor."

" I'm not ordering around the Fuhrer, I'm ordering around my boyfriend." She wittily remarked with a smirk.

"I guess that's acceptable then," Roy answered with a laugh. He loved it when Riza called him her boyfriend and every time she did it, which was pretty rare, he felt his heart tingle.

* * *

><p>When it was near dinner time, they decided to go into town to find a place to eat since the fridge at home was empty. They walked hand in hand enjoying everything they saw together, reminiscing on the past, comparing it to the present. Roy was wearing a simple black T-shirt that fitted him nicely and a nice pair of jeans. Riza had to admit that he was extremely attractive tonight, maybe because she could picture his nicely toned body underneath his thin shirt. Of course, Riza had already explored every part of his body and was impressed every time she did, but the fact that she couldn't see it now and was imagining it made made her feel very hot.<p>

"Riza, are you okay?" Roy glanced worriedly at her, "You look a little feverish".

"Oh, yes, I'm okay. Just lost in my thoughts." She laughed nervously, embarrassed for getting caught staring with lust at the man that belonged to her.

"Alright, if it's too hard for you to be in town, we can always take dinner back home." Roy was completely convinced that it was the past that was causing her problems, oblivious of her perverted thoughts.

"No, no, it's fine. I want to eat out." Riza answered hastily. "Come, let's choose a restaurant." She quickly dragged him faster to change the subject.

They randomly picked a new restaurant that neither of them recognized and was pleased with the result. It was a fine Italian restaurant that made very good pasta and thin crust pizza. Throughout the night, they were lucky enough that nobody recognized Roy as the Fuhrer, since everyone was busy with their meals, so their night went on uninterrupted.

As they slowly walked back towards the house, eating the ice cream Roy had bought them from a stand on the side of the road, Roy suddenly stopped, remembering something.

"Oh I forgot to buy something. Wait here while I go." He said quickly.

"I'll just come with you." Riza answered, getting ready to follow him.

"No, wait here. It's a surprise." He winked before running off.

Riza smiled and sighed. He was always excited when it came to surprising her with something. On day, he even reserved a whole amusement park for their date, since everyone in Central would recognize them if they were to go out in public like this. She could remember the sweet words he said to her when he brought her there, _'You've never had the chance to go to an amusement park when you were young, right? Well, nothing's too late with Roy Mustang, so we're going to go today no matter what.'_ Riza would always laugh when she remembered that event. It had really surprised her how Roy would go out of his way to please her, to make her laugh, and that's why she loved him even more.

Riza was brought out of her thoughts when someone screamed her name, literally. She looked towards the direction of the voice with alert eyes, but was met with surprise when she recognized who it was.

"Anne?" Riza asked with uncertainty.

"Yes! You remember me! Oh Riza, I can't believe it's really you! I heard from the ladies down at the market that you came back, but I wasn't really sure if it was real, but I guess it really is!" She hugged Riza really hard. "Where have you been all this time? How have you been? Are you married? Any kids? Oh I have so many questions to ask you, but I don't have much time now!"

Anne was Riza's only friend in this town. She was the only girl in school who would talk to her, since the other kids were always calling her a loner, since she was always quiet, with a creepy dad.

"It's alright, I'm really happy to see you again, Anne, and I'm sorry I never told you when I left." She gave her an apologetic smile.

"How long are you staying? Can we meet in two days? I have to work tomorrow and do overtime too. So I can't meet you tomorrow. But can we meet the day after tomorrow?" She asked frantically, as if Riza would vanish right in front of her again.

"Yes, yes I'll be here. I'm here for two weeks actually."

"Oh that's great! Do you want to meet at that cafe we always used to go to? It's still there after all these years."

"Yes, that'd be great. What time?" Riza asked.

"How about twelve so we can have lunch together?"

"Sure."

Anne hugged Riza again and said "You don't know how happy I am to see you again Riza. I'm so glad you're doing fine. I have to go now, because I'm late for an appointment." Riza nodded and watched her childhood friend run off.

But before she got too far, she turned back and said, "Oh and in case I forget, there's a ten years high school reunion next week. I know you left before the last year, but it would be great if you could still come, since you technically were in our year's promotion. And everyone knows you too. Think about it. I'll give you more details when we meet again!" She waved her hand energetically and ran off.

Riza thought about the reunion, wondering if she wanted to go or not. Most of the people in her class were not very nice to her and she wasn't very fond of them either. They would laugh at her clothes, her hair and everything they could find an excuse to laugh at. On the other hand, she was curious as to what each of them were doing now and what they had become. Deep down inside, she was cruelly wishing they were suffering now because of karma. She hoped they got what they deserved for bullying her all those years back and making her life even more lonely and miserable. Yes, she definitely had to go see for herself. This was her vacation after all, she had to enjoy herself, even if it meant satisfying her selfish desires. She thought to herself, _'Who could possibly do better than me, a lieutenant general, dating the most powerful and handsome man in the country?',_ she paused and thought_, 'no one'._ An evil smile crept to her lips and she chuckled lightly.

Riza was never the kind to seek revenge or to hope for misfortune on other people, but she decided to make a once in a lifetime exception in this case. She wanted to go full out and live like any normal person would.

* * *

><p>By the time Roy came back, Riza had recollected herself and happily greeted him. Roy smiled back and showed her what he got.<p>

"Wine?"

"Yes, for tonight. To celebrate a successful cleanup." He grinned.

"You took a long time choosing," Riza remarked.

"Yes, sorry. I wanted to make sure I was getting the best one for us. It also happens to be the most expensive one." He gave her a 'I am the best boyfriend ' look.

"You never seize to amaze me Roy Mustang."

"Baby, I know." He said arrogantly, receiving a slap on the arm from Riza.

"Owie!" Roy whined, pretending it hurt.

"Oh stop whining, that didn't even hurt. Let's go home now."

As they walked home, Riza told him about her meeting with Anne and the high school reunion.

"What? You're going?" Roy asked her with surprise in his voice.

"Yes, I want to see how everyone changed and what each of them is doing now."

"How do you know they changed? What if they're going to bully you again like before?"

"Oh please, Roy. I don't think I'm the same person as I was back then." Roy thought long and hard, trying to remember the last time Riza got intimidated by another person, but he couldn't think of anything. All he could remember was her intimidating everyone, so the exact opposite.

"Hmm, you're right. I don't know a soul that would dare say anything to you, unless they want to risk death." He said, receiving a nudge by her elbow.

"I don't kill people that easily Roy!" Riza said, defending herself.

"I was just kidding!"

"I _warn _them." she continued, putting an accent on her choice of word.

"Like that's any better," Roy murmured to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing."

* * *

><p>Riza quickly walked into the house, removing her shoes and stood still, her back to Roy. He sensed something wrong with her by her urgency to enter the house. He closed the door behind him and asked, "Riza, is everything alright?"<p>

"Roy"

"Yes?" he was now completely on alert by the seriousness of her voice.

"Don't wear that shirt anymore."

"What?" he said completely taken by surprise.

"It drives me crazy." She said while turning towards him, showing him the face she wore only when they were making love.

Before Roy could say or do anything else, she kissed him feverishly and ran her hands under his shirt, getting ready to remove it for him.

After that day, Roy decided to make that shirt his favorite one.

* * *

><p>A.N.: Hey everyone! I'm back with a new short story :) I've been really busy since school started so I was never able to finish writing this story that I wanted to write. :( But I found some spare time and decided to write a bit. It's going to be in two parts though so I hope you'll be able to wait for the next part to come out... but I think it'll see soon, when my exams finish :) Anyways, Like I said at the end of the Forgotten Truth, I was already planning to write this two part oneshot and here it is! I hope you all give me support and leave a review after reading this, if you liked it...? I kinda wrote it fast though, so sorry if it's not up to your expectations or if there's a lot of mistakes.<p>

Anyways, leave a review so I know people actually like this. If a lot of people do, then I'll try to write the second part faster! If not... well, we'll see if I feel like completing it, haha... :s

D


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone. I'm so sorry I didn't upload this new chapter in so long. School was too busy... But now that it's done, I'll have time to finish this fic, probably by next week or the one after. I decided to do it in three parts because it was becoming a bit long lol. And I reread the first chapter and found so many errors everywhere. I'm really sorry about that, but I'm just too lazy to rewrite it. I really wan to get this one done because I want to write a new one! Anyways, here's the chapter.**

* * *

><p>Roy groggily opened one eye, only to quickly shut it back. A stray ray of sunlight had managed to pass through a crack in the blinds and land exactly on his eyes. He groaned inwardly but didn't budge an inch, afraid it would wake Riza, especially since she was such a light sleeper. Roy slowly opened his eyes to adjust to the light and looked down to see the sleeping face of his girlfriend. He cracked a smile as he saw her slumbering face, free of worries and contorted eyebrows. Roy thought of how lucky he was to be able to see Riza Hawkeye's sleeping face in the morning and how he was probably the only living soul to have ever seen her sleep unguarded.<p>

It was rare that he got the chance to see her in her deep sleep because he usually tended to wake up after her. He took his time staring at her, looking at all her features and memorizing every little detail, from her pink lips to her straight nose and her nicely shaped eyebrows. God knows he would have been severely reprimanded if he were to be caught staring so intently at her this way. _Thank you sun, you made my day_, he chuckled lightly. For him, an alchemist, to be thanking the sun was really unheard of. Unfortunately, the vibrations from his chest were strong enough to wake Riza from her slumber. She sighed and peeked at him with sleepy eyes.

"Good morning darling," Roy smiled and kissed her forehead.

Riza groaned and cuddled closer to him, burying her head in the crook of his neck and encircling her arms around his chest. Roy chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair.

"What an unusual sight. Riza Hawkeye lazy in the morning, refusing to wake up?"

"Shut up. It's more unusual to see you awake before me," Riza retorted, her breath tickling his neck.

"I wanted to spoil myself."

"How?" Riza looked up, curious by his answer.

"Seeing your sleeping face," Roy grinned and Riza quickly threw her face back down, but not fast enough to prevent Roy from seeing her scowl and emanate a laugh.

"Why do you always do that? There's nothing interesting about my face." Riza whined.

"What do you mean always? I never wake up before you and your sleeping face is beautiful. I'm sure you also do that all the time, right?"

"Because it's my right. I wake up before you so it's only natural that I get to look at you. You have quite a handsome face." Riza chuckled, but was interrupted when Roy suddenly flipped her on her back and positioned himself on top.

"Shall I use this handsome face to woo thy lady?" Roy whispered in a low seductive voice.

Riza laughed and circled her arms around his neck, bringing him down, a hair's breath away from her lips and purred, "Please do, sir Mustang".

xxxxx

Riza rummaged through the kitchen and the fridge, hoping to find something eatable for their breakfast, but she found nothing. Roy walked into the kitchen, hair still damp, and asked "Is there something to eat?"

"No, we were so engrossed in the scenery yesterday that we forgot to buy some groceries for the house" Riza sighed and closed the fridge.

"It's okay. We can just go grocery shopping now. It's still early so we should be able to make it back in time to prepare something to eat after."

"I guess. But I'll go alone," Riza said after some hesitation.

"What? Why? I want to come with you," Roy protested.

"I'm afraid people will recognize you. You don't have any bodyguards with you and I don't want to put you in any danger."

"What do you mean no bodyguard? I have the best bodyguard in the world beside me no?" Roy smirked, "And don't worry too much. I'll put on a hat and sunglasses as a costume."

Riza grimaced at him, but gave in after she saw his excessively desolate look. "Fine, but you better behave."

"When have I ever been mischievous?" Roy asked in a mock sarcastic tone, but decided to stop there after he saw her infamous glare of death.

xxxxx

Their grocery shopping consisted of Riza going around, from stall to stall, buying their fruit, vegetable, bread and eggs, while Roy carried everything. Luckily for them, everybody was busy and nobody seemed to notice the Fuhrer under his costume. Even though Roy was being used as a living shopping cart, he was enjoying the sight of his girlfriend living normally and being happy. For other people, an outing such as this was a routine and a fairly normal and boring task, but for them it was a rare privilege to be able to do such simple things that normal citizens got to do.

In addition to the beautiful weather, Roy had the opportunity to enjoy the sight of Riza in a pretty skirt. She was wearing a simple sleeveless top and a light flowing skirt that reached the top of her knees. This allowed him to get a good view of her nicely shaped legs. If Roy had to chose a part of Riza's body that he most preferred, it would definitely be her legs. They were soft, toned and just how the way he had always fantasized them to be. She would always laugh at his fetish when he caressed and ran kisses down her legs.

"Roy, could you stare more discreetly please? Even behind your sunglasses, I can tell you're drooling over my legs," Riza said as a matter-of-factly, without ever averting her eyes from the oranges she was carefully selecting. Roy coughed, embarrassed he had been caught red-handed, while Riza smirked, knowing full well she had hit the mark.

As Roy was recomposing himself and looking around for the first time, he noticed something that made him flare up inside. The young man working in the stall they were presently at was also staring 'non-discreetly' at _his _Riza in a very obviously perverted way. If it weren't for the bags he was holding in his arms, he would have found it very difficult to restrain himself from putting on his gloves and snapping at him. _Who the hell gave you permission to look at my woman!_ Roy quickly moved to stand to Riza's left and faced the man, blocking his view. With the sudden obstruction, the young man snapped out of his trance and noticed a very imposing and menacing man blocking the view and staring directly at him. He gulped and looked away, occupying himself with other things.

"Roy, what are you doing standing there like that?" Riza asked, seeing him standing tall beside her, facing away.

"Are you done choosing?" Riza merely nodded, still curious about his unnatural behavior. "I'll go pay, wait here". He carefully put the bags down and grabbed the bag of oranges from Riza before she could say anything and made his way towards the young man.

"I'd like to pay for these oranges," Roy said with an authoritative voice and handed to bag to the frightened man, who nodded and proceeded to weigh the oranges.

"That'll be four dollars and thirty five, sir." Roy handed him a five dollar bill. When the young man returned the change, Roy grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. He leaned close to his ear and said in a low menacing tone, "Don't ever look at my girlfriend that way again. I won't be able to assure your safety the next time I catch you staring." When he leaned back out and grabbed his change and the oranges from the terrorized young man, he stared at him fiercely and added, "By the way, you're ten years too early to be challenging me, boy."

Roy walked away with a satisfied smirk and casually handed the oranges to Riza.

"What was that all about?"

"Just taking care of some man business," Roy answered and picked up the bags. "Shall we head back home?" Riza nodded, still dubious about his answer, but decided to let it slide.

xxxxx

After breakfast, they continued cleaning and fixing the house, making sure everything was functional and back to the way it was supposed to be. Riza was tidying up her old room and rummaging through the things she had left behind. She put most of her old clothes in a donation box. Her shelves didn't need to be rearranged since it was already tidy in the first place. The books made her reminiscence her childhood days spent reading alone for long hours uninterrupted. Although she liked being left alone, she did feel very lonely when she never had anybody to talk to.

Riza remembered very well the day Roy joined the family when he came to study under her father. His presence livened the house and slowly, Riza began to smile a bit and laugh softly. The days spent with him were the happiest days of her life.

Riza opened her desk drawer and saw an old photograph. Roy was grinning widely at the camera, while Riza was smiling shyly beside him. It was a picture Roy had taken with his new camera, holding it at arms-length while taking the picture. They were young, Riza was probably fifteen and Roy seventeen.

Riza smiled to herself, knowing she had already been in love with him at fifteen. She never had the courage to tell him about her feelings back then, afraid he would reject her straight out. After all, he had always been popular with the girls and being two years older than her allowed him to know girls around his age, who were much more mature and beautiful. In conclusion, Riza felt too inferior and boring compared to the other girls. However, Roy rarely went into town and never met up with any girls. Whenever he had free time, he spent it with her, talking about anything and everything.

"Look what I found," Roy interrupted her thoughts. He handed her a small album with pictures they took together with Roy's camera. They were pictures of the last two years they spent together, before he left to join the military.

"We were so young," Riza smiled affectionately. After a while of silence, she turned to look at Roy, only to be met with a serious gaze. "What?"

Roy slowly smirked and said, "I was just remembering how I had fallen in love with you, but I couldn't remember the exact moment." Seeing that she was waiting for him to continue, he added, "You know, by then I was already completely in love with you," and pointed to the pictures.

Riza's eyes widened in surprise and looked down, staring at the smiling faces. "Me too," she mumbled, hiding her face behind her bangs.

"What?" Roy asked, not having heard what she said.

"I said me too," Riza looked up and smiled at him, unable to hide her flushed cheeks and the happiness in her eyes. Roy's grin grew larger until he laughed out loud.

"I didn't think you were interested in boys at that time, so I never had the guts to confess to you. I didn't want our relationship to become awkward so I just kept it to myself. But then again, I did take me another ten years to confess." He scratched his head sheepishly.

Riza chuckled and said, "It's true, I wasn't really interested in being in a relationship and dating because I didn't have the time for it. But that didn't mean I couldn't have feelings for someone."

Roy hugged her tightly from behind and whispered in her ear, "I love you Riza". Riza turned around in his arms and kissed him lightly on the lips, "I love you too, Roy".

They spent the rest of the day sorting out the old things and throwing away needless stuff. The next day, Riza told Roy she was going to meet her old friend for lunch.

"Alright, have fun. I'm going to go through your father's study and see if I can clean it up a bit," Roy said.

"You know, you don't have to if you don't want to." Riza was touchy when it came to her father's things and wasn't very fond of going through his research materials.

"No, I have to. He was my teacher and I take it as my responsibility. It's about time I clean it up"

"Thank you Roy," he gave her a reassuring smile. "Do you have anything to eat for lunch?"

"Yeah, I'll just make myself a sandwich," he called from inside the study.

"Okay, just don't forget to eat! I'm leaving."

xxxxx

"Riza!" Anne waved her hand to get her attention. She had gotten a table on the terrace and was anxiously waiting for Riza to come sit down. "How are you Riza?"

"I'm fine, thank you. You?"

"Tired! I finally have a little break from my hectic life. Taking care of a kid is no joke," she said exasperatedly. Before Riza could inquire about her child, Anne added, "But nevermind about that! Tell me what happened to you. Where did you go so suddenly?"

Riza proceeded to recount her whole story, cutting out some parts that weren't needed to understand the story, which included her relationship with Roy at the moment.

"And now, I finally took a two weeks vacation and decided to come back home to sort out some things." Anne's mouth was half opened when Riza finished her story. Compared to her own normal life story, Riza's life seemed like a roller-coaster.

"Wow Riza, I don't know what to say..." Anne paused a bit, then said, "I didn't even know you went through so much."

"Don't worry. Even though there were some hard times, I got through them and met many wonderful people that have become my family in a way," she smiled at her friend.

"Are you married?" Anne asked with interest.

"No, but I'm currently seeing someone."

"Is he also in the military?" Riza nodded before Anne continued, "I hope he'll be able to make you happy and give you a family of your own."

"Yes, I'm very happy. And we'll see about the family, it depends if he wants to marry me or not," Riza laughed softly.

"I'm sure he's going to ask you soon. You would be a perfect wife!" Anne said delightedly.

"Well, I don't know about that, but thank you. Now, tell me about you. I heard you have a child?"

"Yes! I married five years ago and I have a three year old son now. His name is Harrison."

"That's nice. I'm very happy for you. Do I know this husband of yours?" Riza asked.

"Well, actually, you do. It's Brian. You know, the guy that always sat at the back of the class," Anne described.

"Yes! Really? I would've never thought you two would have gotten together," Riza said with surprise.

"Yes, we started talking the year after you left, because I was always alone and he came to talk to me first. Everything slowly developed after that," she said with a content smile.

"I'm sorry again that I left without telling you, I-"

"Don't worry about it Riza. I already suspected something had happened and I knew you had a reason to leave," Anne interrupted Riza, before she could make herself more guilty.

The two women enjoyed a nice lunch and continued talking about their lives and what they have been doing for the past ten years. When they were served tea at the end of their lunch, Anne brought up the high school reunion.

"We all received the invitation by mail, so you probably haven't seen it since they don't know your new address. It's this Saturday at seven at the Barron's Hotel ballroom. I'm pretty sure everyone will be there since we were a pretty small group and most people stayed here after high school. I know it's a bit short notice, but do you think you would have the time to come?" Anne asked eagerly.

"Yes, I'll come. I just have to make sure to find a dress in the next few days." Anne squealed in excitement.

"I'm so glad you can make it! I can't wait to see the look on those girls' faces when they find out how successful you are! Serves them right for always bullying and making fun of you. By the way, you can invite your boyfriend. Each person can bring their partner."

"I see, I'll ask if he would like to come."

Riza laughed at how excited her childhood friend was. It felt good to meet such a good friend after so long and talk as if they had just seen each other yesterday. Anne seemed to be more excited about their _revenge_, than Riza was, even though she would be the reason for jealousy among their old classmates. After biding Anne goodbye and heading back home, Riza pondered whether or not she should invite Roy. She didn't want to bring him to such a crowded place where she couldn't assure his safety.

When she arrived home, she found Roy sound asleep on the sofa, taking an afternoon nap. She removed her shoes and quietly laid down beside him, on the small space that was still available. Feeling the presence of another person beside him, Roy shifted and his side to allow her more space and pulled her closer to his chest to cuddle.

"How did you know it was me and not some other random person, or do you do this to anyone who sleeps beside you?" she asked, since Roy hadn't even opened his eyes.

"All my senses told me it was you. And no, I do not want to cuddle with anybody other than you that lays beside me. Only you," he said, still with his eyes closed. Riza smiled and closed her eyes, also deciding to take a nap.

When she woke up an hour later, she found Roy already awake and staring at her again.

"Good afternoon," he greeted her.

"Good afternoon," she chuckled.

"How was lunch with Anne?"

"It was great. We talked about many things and about our lives from the past ten years."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. You definitely deserved it," Roy smiled at her, genuinely happy that she could meet her childhood friend and have some time to herself.

"Oh yeah, we have a high school reunion this Saturday and I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me?"

"Really? Of course I would like to come with you. I would be honored to escort such a beautiful lady," he teased. "But I'm afraid I didn't bring any formal clothes with me."

"Me neither. We have a few days left, so we can go shopping. I heard there are many new stores that opened and a lot of big clothing lines."

"Alright, sounds good. We'll make sure to impress them," he smirked.

"I'm sure just your face would be enough to impress them,"Riza sighed. Even Roy was immersed in the idea of karma against her high school classmates, even though he never knew them. Then again, she was pretty sure he was aware that she didn't like going to school and that her classmates weren't exactly very nice to her.

"Well, I can't disagree on that," Roy laughed smugly and Riza looked away annoyed.

xxxxx

The next day, they went into town to look for some formal clothes to wear for the evening of the high school reunion. Roy brought her to a high end designer clothing store called Huxley, all the time keeping his hat and sunglasses on to hide his identity. They started off looking for Roy's clothes since he assured her it would be faster. And true to his words, it didn't take long for him to find the perfect suit that fitted him nicely and had a very sharp look to it. With Riza's final approval, they moved on to look for an evening dress for her. There were many beautiful dresses, but none that fit her criteria, which was to cover her entire back.

"May I assist you in finding anything ma'am?" a salesperson asked her.

"Yes, I'm looking for an evening dress. I want one that covers the whole back." The man thought a bit while looking around, then lead her towards a section. "These dresses are a bit more conservative and are sure to cover your back. However, they definitely are not lacking when it comes to beauty, and because each dress is unique, you're sure to be the only person in the world wearing it."

Riza thanked him and looked through the section he had showed her. One dress caught her attention and she picked it out, looking at it in awe. It was dark red, like a red wine colour, with a length that ended at the top of her knees. The back would be all covered, but the front had a v-cut that wasn't ltoo ow to be deemed improper.

"Try it on," Roy said behind her. She nodded and followed the salesperson to the fitting room. When she came out, Roy had to make an effort not to let his jaw drop. It was as if the dress had been made exactly for her. It fitted her nicely, hugging her frame and accentuating her curves in all the right places.

"It's beautiful. I'm worried the other men will be staring at you all night," Roy said with a scowl.

"That's why you'll be there to protect me from their perverted, lustful eyes, right?" Riza laughed.

"Of course!"

Roy went to the front to pay, insisting to pay for everything. However, being as stubborn as always, Roy had to order her to let him pay.

They walked hand in hand back home, glad to have found their outfits so fast. Unfortunately, by late afternoon, Roy received a call from Central.

"Havoc, are you serious? Can't you do something about it?" Roy asked with irritation.

"Yeah... no, I tried but they insisted on meeting you and they're all bickering among themselves. It's hell. Please come back, sir. It's urgent," Havoc pleaded in the phone.

Roy groaned loud and long. "This is the first vacation I've had in a long time and the first one with Riza! I don't want to be disturbed!"

"Fuhrer Mustang! Please! The generals can't agree to anything and it's driving me mad!" Havoc desperately argued. While Roy was away on a vacation leave, a problem came up with some peace treaty with a neighbouring country who wanted to add some conditions. The four generals in charge of it all had different opinions and couldn't decide to agree to them or not. That was when Havoc, acting as the Fuhrer's representative, called him for help. Roy knew it would take him a minimum of two days to go, solve the problem among the generals, and come back. He wasn't sure if he could make it back in time for Riza's high school reunion.

After thinking for a while, he sighed loudly and exasperatedly and agreed he would come back to clear things up himself. When he hung up the phone, he explained the situation to Riza.

"It's alright Roy. It's your duty as the Fuhrer. If your subordinates are bickering, then you have to go discipline them," she said with a teasing smirk.

"Why can't they be like you. They're acting like babies, it's ridiculous!" Roy grunted.

Riza just laughed at his foul mood. "So, when are you leaving?"

"First thing tomorrow morning. The faster I get this over with, the faster I can come back. I don't know if I'll be able to make it back for your reunion on Saturday night."

"It's okay Roy. What's more important is fixing your country's problems first. Take your time to do it right. I'll tell you later about my night."

"But I really wanted to be there with you! Maybe you should go look for another dress." Roy whined.

"What? No! I like this dress and I will wear it whether you like it or not," Riza retorted.

"Of course I like it. So will other men," he mumbled and pouted. He only liked it when Riza dressed up when she was in his company. With him beside her, no men dared to approach her. After all, you didn't challenge the Fuhrer when it came to women, especially since he was also known to be one of the best looking men in Amestris.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Well, I better go pack up some stuff now," he quickly went upstairs, leaving Riza puzzled.

xxxxx

"Yeah, sorry Riza. I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish in time. If things go well, it should be done tomorrow morning and I'll be able to make it for tomorrow tonight, but I wouldn't count on it."

"It's alright, I understand Roy. I'm meeting up with Anne and her husband before going, so I won't be alone," Riza reassured him.

"Hmm alright. Have fun Riza. If I can make it, I'll let you know tomorrow." Roy said dejectedly.

It was Friday night and it took a bit longer than Roy had predicted. Riza knew he was very disappointed that he wouldn't make it and so was she, but she didn't show it because she didn't want to make him feel any worse.

Riza planned to meet with Anne and Brian at six thirty near the place they had had lunch a few days before. Around five, Riza started preparing herself, taking a shower, blow drying her hair and applying very light makeup. She decided to leave her hair down. It had grown back from the time she had cut it when they started their project to rebuild Ishbal. Now, it reached her shoulder blades, still shorter than it was before she cut it, but Roy loved it nonetheless. She put on her dress and a gold necklace that Roy had given her as a gift for her birthday, and a pair of black heels. Finally, she added the last _accessory_, her gun. It was a small gun that was clasped on her right thigh, nicely hidden.

Satisfied with her look, she took a taxi into town to the meeting pace. Being Hawkeye, she arrived early and waited on a bench. Unfortunately for her, arriving alone, dressed like she was and waiting for five minutes was enough to annoy her and send death glares at every man that stared at her inappropriately. _Damn, I wish Roy was here right now, _she thought.

"Riza!" Anne waved her hand, standing outside her car's passenger seat. Riza waved back and walked towards their car. Brian came out of the car and smiled at her.

"It's a pleasure to be able to meet you again Riza. You look lovely tonight." He shook her hand and hugged her.

"Thank you Brian. It's certainly great to see you again too," Riza smiled. "I know it's very late, but congratulations on your wedding."

The couple laughed and thanked her. When Anne approached Riza, she gasped and pointed to her dress. "Is that what I think it is?"

_Ah crap, did she see my gun? I thought I hid it well,_ Riza thought.

"A dress from Huxley's new collection!" Anne squealed.

"Huh?" Riza was taken aback, not used anyone making a big deal out of her clothing.

"That's a Huxley dress right? I saw it in this season's collection magazine. It's so beautiful! It must've cost you a fortune!" Anne rambled.

"Yes, well, my boyfriend bought it for me, so I'm not exactly sure how much it was," Riza answered, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Honey, did you hear that? Her boyfriend bought her a Huxley dress! You're my husband. You should buy me something like that too," Anne targeted Brian.

Brian sighed and Riza could only give him a sympathetic look. "One day, when I have the money for it."

"I know honey. I was just teasing you. Anyways, you're very lucky to have such a great boyfriend. I'm happy for you. I suppose he couldn't make it tonight?"

"No, there was an urgent meeting at work he had to attend to. I'll introduce him to you another time," Riza apologized.

"Alright ladies, we should get going now before we're late," Brian interrupted. They all agreed and went inside the car.

The hotel was very grand and majestic, with beautiful lights and chandeliers. Riza guessed it was a five star hotel from the looks of it and the decorations. Riza walked beside Anne, feeling a little anxious. As they got closer to the ballroom, with the light music and already many voices, Anne paused slightly and said, "Riza, don't be so tense. You're making me nervous too. Relax, everything will be fine." Riza nodded.

She could hear her heartbeat beating loudly in her ears as they got closer to the door. After a man checked their names on the guest list, another two opened the doors for them. As they slowly walked in, all eyes turned their way.

* * *

><p><strong>A.N.: So the next chapter will be the final one. I'm sorry if it's a bit disappointing like chapter, but I tried to write it fast. I have another story in plan that I wan to try writing, so hopefully the next one will be better. Please bear with this one. Don't forget to drop a review! :)<strong>

**Thanks.**

**D**


	3. Chapter 3

Hey sorry for the long wait... here's the last chapter haha.

* * *

><p>Roy sighed quietly. Since six in the morning, he had been busy looking through paperwork and trying to figure out a way out of this mess. He raked his fingers through his hair and leaned back in his chair. While staring at the ceiling, he wondered how Riza was doing, how she was getting ready for the party later tonight. He wished he could be there with her, as a moral support and, of course, as her partner. He quickly leaned back forward, grabbed his paperwork, and, with his newly formed determination, continued his work. <em>If you work hard, you can make it Roy!<em> He encouraged himself.

xxxxx

Riza could see everything: the stares, the side glances, the curious looks, the surprised looks and of course, the glares. She scanned the the room and took note of everybody, even in her peripheral view. She was surprised by the number of people she recognized and actually still remembered. After a few seconds of silence, the whispers grew louder and people started gossiping about the newcomers.

"Anne, it's good to see you again," a woman with brown hair greeted and hugged her tightly. She then turned and greeted Brian. Riza did not recognize her and just stood quietly beside Anne.

"Brianna, remember how I told you about my friend Riza? Well, this is her. She recently came back to town and coincidentally the same time as our reunion!" Anne grinned widely. She turned to Riza and said, "Riza, his is my friend Brianna. She came to our school the year after you left, so only stayed for a year."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Riza extended her hand towards Brianna and smiled.

"The pleasure's all mine. I'm happy to finally be able to meet you. Anne's told me all about you."

"Really?" Riza blushed slightly in embarrassment and looked at Anne, who just grinned at her.

After greeting a few other people, Brian left them to go catch up with his own friends. Even though Riza couldn't really remember any of her classmates talking to her or even trying to become friends with her, she was pleasantly surprised by the fact that most of the people that night were friendly. She supposed time had allowed them to mature and forget about the past. Everyone was happy and was just trying to learn about each other's lives.

"Riza Hawkeye? Is that you?" A red-haired woman came up to her. Riza remembered her. She never talked to Riza, but never did anything mean to her either. They just left each other alone.

"Yes, Veronica, it's me. How have you been?" Riza smiled politely.

"I'm fine, thank you. But wow do you look great! I love your dress. I would've never thought I would meet you again. After grade eleven, you just disappeared. No one knew where you went, not even Anne."

"Yes, well, a lot has happened and I just had to leave."

"Yes I understand. I know it's late, but I've always wanted to give you my condolences for your father's passing. When I found out, it was already too late, because you had already left," Veronica said sympathetically, eyes cast downwards.

"Thank you very much Veronica. And it's never too late. I really appreciate it," Riza said truthfully. There weren't many people who knew about her father's death and barely anyone showed up at the funeral. For someone to remember this for ten years greatly touched Riza and she was really thankful for it.

Riza learned that Veronica had become a teacher and was now teaching at their old high school. Once again, Riza had to deal with gasps and surprised looks when she told her she was a military officer. Although she always stayed with the most basic information about her life, it, nonetheless, never ceased to amaze people. Apparently, it was very uncommon in this town for anybody to know a woman in the military.

While they were discussing and recounting events about their past, a few more women joined their conversation. Most of them, much to Riza's surprise, were very curious about her story and her current life. Many of them complimented her dress and her looks. It was certainly true that Riza had, compared to the other ladies, a nicely toned body and a very fine figure.

After a while, she excused herself to go get something to eat at the refreshments table. She had eaten a little bit before coming, but it has now been a few hours and she was starting to get really hungry. Riza was inwardly delighted to find such a large variety of food to snack on. _As expected from a super fancy hotel_, she mused. She wasn't sure if she could restrain herself from eating too much before their supper. She doubted she would still be hungry after trying one of everything. There was just too much to choose from. In the end, she allowed herself a cup of red wine, a bit of cheese and some dried fruit.

As she was heading to a table near the wall to leave her empty plate, she heard some muffled giggles and soon after someone called for her. The high pitched voice sent chills down her spine. Riza knew exactly who it was and it irked her to her bones to heard her dreadful voice once again.

"Riza! What a pleasant surprise to see you here! We've all been so worried about you all these years. How are you?" A woman, the same age as Riza, with light brown hair that reached her shoulders smiled broadly at her. Her mouth, Riza thought, was just too wide and useless, for it only seemed to be used to spread gossip, to tell lies and to spout nonsense. Her eyes, when smiling, were thin slits that reminded her of a fox, sly and evil. Riza knew the woman, once a little girl like her, was the one that had made her school life miserable. She cringed at the bad memories, but didn't allow any of her torments to show on her face. Riza Hawkeye was a grown woman, fearless, able to take down any man that dared to challenge her, trained to be a perfect soldier and more than capable to keep her calm and to stay civil. And so she did.

"I am well, thank you. It's certainly a pleasure to see you again too, Ashley." Riza gave her a small polite smile. Little did Ashley know, it was an entirely different story inside of Riza's mind.

"I heard you recently came back home because you lost you job in Central and had no more money. I'm so sad to hear about that. If you ever need any help, we, the Harrissons, would be more than happy to help you," Ashley said in a high and loud voice so everybody could hear. However, there was no sincere concern in her voice as she spoke those words, just mockery and Riza could see the amusement in her eyes.

As much as she was good at keeping her poker face, she couldn't stop herself from narrowing her eyes ever so slight. _Are you kidding me?_ Riza thought. _Is she still trying to play this game with me?_ If Riza had a little less self-control, she would have rolled her eyes, cracked her knuckles and gave her a straight jab to her ugly face. Clearly, this _girl_ had not changed after all these years. She was, as she called herself, a _lady_ of the Harrissons. Their households were the newly rich, with a business that flourished throughout their region in the past ten years. However, they were far from the Armstrongs and other big and wealthy families. Nevertheless, that didn't stop them from boasting about their wealth every chance they had. _You lying bitch!_ Riza screamed in her head. She remembered all the things she had always wanted to do to this girl when she was younger: pulling out her hair, slapping her senseless, strangling her, kicking her in the face, and the list went on and on.

Riza smiled and it grew larger and larger, as she saw Ashley's hypocrite mask falter in surprise, until she let out a light laugh herself. "I believe you heard wrong Ashley. I'm fairing very well in Central and I only came back to visit my hometown for a bit and to pay my respects to my parents," Riza answered cooly. She would not let herself be played by this immature girl and give her the pleasure of it.

Ashley looked at her like she had just seen her for the first time. Her speechlessness only lasted a few seconds before she regained herself. "I see. That's very good to hear." Riza could see the disappointment in her eyes, mixed with confusion and anger. It was the first time that Riza actually answered her back and opposed her. Before, she would just ignore her and walk off.

After Ashley's loud outburst, curious people had gathered closer to hear their conversation but far enough to be left out of any conflict. Two other girls came up behind Ashley and Riza recognized them immediately. They were Ashley's right and left hand during high school and apparently they still are.

"Oh Riza. Do you remember Emily and Kayla? We were always together in high school."

"Yes I do. Pleasure's mine." _How could I forget so easily_, she thought as she shook their hand.

"Riza, did you see her ring?" Kayla lifted Ashley's left hand to show an engagement ring. It was a solitaire diamond sitting on a white gold band. It wasn't that big, but certainly bigger than a one carat and had a beautiful shine to it. Riza had to feign surprise and act happy for her, but she knew this would only add more to her torture as she would be standing here listening to her boast about her ring and her man.

"Who's the lucky man?" She felt complied to ask.

"Oh you wouldn't know him. He's the son and heir of a successful company. His name is Richard Golding. Have you heard of him?" Ashley asked, putting on that stupid smile of hers.

"No, I'm afraid I've never heard of him." Riza answered more fiercely than she would have liked.

"Well, that's normal, since you're not exactly in the same class of people as us." _Urg, is there no end to this? _Riza thought. She wanted to get away from her as fast as she could without seeming too desperate. "You see that man over there?" Ashley pointed to a tall man with this brown hair. "That's my fiancé. We're getting married next year. I'd be glad to invite you if you want."

"That's very thoughtful of you, but I don't think I'll be able to attend. My work is pretty demanding and I don't think I'll have the time to come, but thank you." Riza knew that if she asked for a leave any time of the year, she would definitely be granted it. But it would be the last thing she wanted to use her vacation for.

"Well, that's too bad. If ever you decide to come, let me know. I'm sure you'll have no problem finding me. The Harrissons' estate is rather hard to miss." She let out an arrogant giggle.

"So I heard you worked in the military. It must be tough with all the men around you," Emily chimed in. "Do you also have a boyfriend in the military?"

"Yes I do and it's not too bad being a woman in the military if you work hard and earn the men's respect." Riza answered truthfully. She could swear she saw a glint in their eyes when she admitted she had a boyfriend.

"Oh, so you do have a boyfriend. He must be a easy man to please if he agreed to take you as his girlfriend. No offence, but you are a rather plain girl. I remember when we were younger, you would always have that short hair and be mistaken for a boy. No boys were ever interested in you then, so it's a miracle you found someone now," Ashley said with a little too much twinkle in her eyes for Riza's liking.

_That's it. I can't take it anymore!_ Riza's hand watch itching for the feel of cool metal, but she clenched her fists tightly to control herself.

Before she could say or do anything she would regret, someone grabbed her arm and gently pushed her backwards. She looked up and was faced with a man's back as he stood between her and Ashley. "Ashley, that's enough. Aren't you tired of bullying people all the time. It's really tiresome." This sudden interference took Riza by surprised. When he turned around and took Riza's arm, pulling her to leave with him, she silently followed, leaving Ashley and her two friends baffled and shrieking in the background.

As he pulled her across the room and as far from Ashley as possible, Riza watched him, trying to remember who he was. He had a wide back, broad shoulders and thick black hair. He reminder her so much of Roy that she felt her chest tighten, wishing he was here with her right now. When he finally stopped and turned around, he proved to be almost as handsome as Roy, just almost. He smiled gently at her and let her arm go.

"It seems like I saved you from trouble back there." He was the first to break the silence.

"Yes, you did and I have to thank you deeply for that. If you hadn't interrupted, who knows what I would have done." Riza replied politely, not sure how friendly she should be since she still hadn't figure out who this man was.

He chuckled and said, "I honestly can't believe they're still like that. It's really childish and just plain annoying." When he saw Riza nod and look at him like she was searching him and thinking deeply, he laughed out loud. "You don't know me do you."

Riza's eyes widened in embarrassment and felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She must've looked like a surprised deer in a forest. "I'm sorry, I don't. I left before the last year of high school, so if you came in that last year then I-"

"Riza, it's me. Andrew Renly," He exclaimed.

It took a few seconds for Riza to study him and to try to remember his face. When she did, she smiled broadly and said, "Andrew? I can't believe it's you. You changed so much, I couldn't recognize you." When they were young, Andrew was often called a nerd who always studied by himself. He didn't really socialize with many people and only spoke when it was necessary. But when they had group projects or activities, he would always be in the same group as Riza and Anne. They had been good friends, although not that close since he preferred to be alone.

"Yes, it's me. I know I changed a lot. People don't call me a nerd anymore." He chuckled lightly. "How have you been all these years Riza?"

"I've been very well. How about you? What do you do nowadays?"

"Well after high school I went to University and got into med school. I'm a family doctor now and I love my job." He grinned happily at her. Now this was a person that made Riza happy she came tonight. "And I heard people say that you joined the military. Is that true?"

"Yes that's right. I quit high school to join the military academy. I knew what I wanted to do and saw no point in waiting another year when I could join right away. I'm vary satisfied with my job too." She smiled at him and he laughed.

"I can't believe Ashley wanted to confront you. She must've gone crazy."

"Tell me about it," Riza said in a tired voice, which only made him laugh harder. The more she spoke with him, the more she enjoyed his company. He had become such and open and easygoing person, compared to the boy in her memories. The Andrew now always had a smile on his face and had a good sense of humour.

"You look very beautiful tonight, Riza," he told her with a shy glance after a few minutes into their conversation. Riza smiled politely and said, "Thank you, Andrew; and you, very handsome." Riza was happy for the praise, but she did not blush, nor did she feel her heart flutter. There was only one man that could get that reaction from her, and unfortunately, he couldn't make it tonight.

When it was time for supper, someone called for them to enter the grand ballroom from a door adjacent to the room they were presently in. Apparently, there was an even bigger and more magnificent room than this one. Riza was about to excuse herself to look for Anne and Brian, when Andrew offered her his right arm. "Would you like to accompany me to the supper tonight, Riza?"

She knew what he meant by this invitation and didn't want to give him false hope. She smiled sadly at him and said, "Andrew, I already have a boyfriend you know." She could see disappointment in his eyes for a split second, before it was replaced by a grin.

"Then, please let me accompany you as a friend for old time's sake."

When Riza was about to put her had on the crook of his arm, someone cleared their throat behind them. "Excuse me, but I believe I am her escort for tonight."

"Roy? I thought you couldn't make it tonight," Riza stared at him incredulously.

"I worked extra hard and took the fastest train here just for you," he smirked. Roy was certainly looking at his best tonight. He wore a suit that he brought from Central. Riza recognized it as his favorite one, a dashing black suit, with satin lapels and a form-fitting shape. He didn't comb his hair back, but he did brush it so it didn't look messy like it usually did when he was at home.

Roy snaked his arm around Riza's waist and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He then extended a hand towards Andrew and said, "Roy Mustang, Riza's boyfriend and partner for the night."

"Andrew Renly. It's an honor meeting you in person Fuhrer Mustang. Riza, I had no idea your boyfriend was the Fuhrer." Roy shook his hand firmly, while Andrew's hand and arm looked like they had turned into noodles. He stood there, baffled, staring at them, Riza noted. This was exactly why she didn't want to tell anyone who she was dating. It stopped the conversations and made everyone become dumbstruck.

"Yes, well, no one ever asked who it was so I never told anybody."

It was then that she noticed her surrounding. People had stopped moving and were looking at them. She could hear some girls squeal and gasp, eyes as wide as saucers and mouths open wide enough to catch flies. She saw Anne and Brian in the background gaping at them. When she caught her eyes, Anne frantically waved her hand, asking her to come to her. Before she could say anything else, Andrew excused himself after having recovered from his initial shock.

"I'll be heading in first. You two are welcome to join my table if ever you need a place." Andrew smiled at them one last time and left.

Riza glanced up at Roy and saw his tense smile. "Don't like him very much?" she asked him, knowing full well his smile was as fake as it could get. He turned to her and scowled discreetly.

"No! Did you see the way he was looking at you? He was definitely interested in you and you almost left me for him! If I hadn't made it in time, you would have taken his invitation," Roy whined.

"Roy, stop exaggerating everything. I wouldn't have left you for him first of all, and even if he is interested in me, it doesn't mean I'm interested in him," she stated clearly. "The only one for me is you." She leaned up and pecked him on the lips.

Riza had never been one to show affection in public, so the kiss had taken Roy by surprise. A smile crept slowly on his face until it became a wide grin, which made Riza chuckle. Roy really acted like a child sometimes, but he couldn't help feeling giddy and happy.

"Might I add that you look exquisitely beautiful tonight?" He looked at her lovingly and Riza could only try to hide her blush, which didn't escape Roy's perceptive eyes.

Riza wrapped her arm around his and lead him towards Anne, who stood motionless, clutching her husbands arm.

"Roy, this is Anne, my childhood friend. The one I met the other day. And this is Brian, her husband. He was also in our class in high school." She then turned to Anne and waved her hand in front of her to get her attention. "Anne, Brian, this is my boyfriend, Roy Mustang. I'm sure you guys have already heard of him."

"R- Ri- Riza! Why didn't you tell me your boyfriend was THE Roy Mustang! The Fuhrer! The most powerful man of the country! Oh my god! I can't believe this! Why? Why didn't you tell me?" Anne's arms were waving around in the air and her voice was getting louder and louder. She had grabbed Riza by the shoulders and was shaking her as if to put some sense into her.

After getting Anne to calm down and removing her hands from her shoulders, she said calmly, "You didn't ask me who he was. You just asked if he was in the military and I said yes."

Anne stared dumbly at her and she mouthed the words 'oh my god' before she slapped her forehead and said, "Riza. When you're boyfriend is a person as important as Roy Mustang, you have to mention it every time you talk about him! It's logic! Who doesn't to show him off?" Riza just sighed, while Roy laughed.

"A great pleasure meeting you two." Roy offered his hand to both of them, who shook it vigorously. Brian smiled sympathetically for his wife's antics and Roy smiled back politely.

"Let's just go in and sit first before anything else," Riza suggested.

When they went in, there were many round tables, beautifully decorated, waiting to be filled. Most people sat together with their close friends, while others randomly sat in available seats. In the end, they decided to sit together with Andrew, Veronica and her husband, who all eagerly greeted them.

"I knew this would happen." Riza sighed, just loud enough for Roy to hear. Riza didn't need to look around, but she knew they were the center of attention and could feel everyone gazing at them. The chattering only grew louder and she could swear the gossiping was at its highest level. News of Roy's arrival had reached everyone's ear within the second he was spotted and some people even came up to them, hoping to speak a few words to him and shake hands.

"What? You wish I hadn't come?" He asked silently in her ear. When she looked at him, she saw a hint of a pout on his lips that only she could make out.

"Of course not. I'm happy you could make it. I was wishing you were here with me and it came true." She linked her fingers with his and smiled shyly at him.

Their dinner was a full course meal, with fresh ingredients and excellent presentation. When the main dish was served, the head chef came out himself to give it to Roy and Riza, asking them if the food suited their taste. Riza could tell how honored he was to have the nation's Fuhrer in his hotel. Riza had never been very hard to please when it came to food, but that didn't mean she didn't know what was a high class dish and what wasn't. Everything in the course had passed her expectations and Roy couldn't agree more. It was clear the chef had made the extra effort to make it impeccable.

When desert was served, Riza felt a chill run up her spine, the one she felt when she sensed someone looking at them. She stopped her fork midway into her chocolate cake and put all her senses to look around for anyone or anything suspicious. Then she spotted her, Ashley Harrisson, glaring venomously at her, clearly jealous of the attention Riza was getting from the head chef himself and from everyone in the room. Riza stooped herself from rolling her eyes and refocused on her desert.

"What is it?" Roy asked her, worried about her sudden tenseness. He could spot Riza's every little action that, to other people, might seem natural.

"You see that girl over there?" She darted her eyes in Ashley's direction. "She was trying to kill me with her eyes."

Roy chuckled. "I'm sure your eyes are more deadly. Anyone would lose against you. Who is she anyways?"

"Ashley Harrisson." Riza saw the recognition on Roy's face after a few seconds. When they were younger, Roy had asked her about her friends from school and why she never invited anyone over to her house to play. It was then that she told him about the people from her school and the people that bullied her. Riza had to plead him to stop from going to her school and confronting these people. From then on, Roy seemed to spend more time with her whenever he had some time off from his alchemy studies.

Riza was slightly shocked he still remembered her name, although it didn't show on her face. "You still remember who she is?" she asked him.

"Of course. I wouldn't forget the person who gave you hell. She's not even pretty anyways. Nothing compared to you." He smirked charmingly at her.

"Really now? Apparently she was always the prettiest one in school," Riza said, testing him.

"Well, all the boys must've been blind not to notice a beautiful girl like you, not that I mind." When he saw a smile spread across her lips, he high-fived himself in his head.

After the tables have been cleared, a live orchestra started playing music and one by one, couples started dancing on the large dance floor in the center of the room. Roy offered his hand to Riza and asked, "May I be honored with this dance, my lovely lady?" Riza nodded curtly and put her hands in his, letting him lead her to the dance floor.

Riza wasn't an excellent dancer, no where close to a professional, and neither was Roy, but they knew the basic steps of a waltz and did just that. Their moves were synchronized and they flowed with the music. Anyone who looked at them could see the grace and elegance of their every move and the perfect compatibility, like they were made for one another.

At the end of the first song, Anne and Brian stood beside them and Anne said, "May we switch partners for one dance?" Riza saw how her eyes glittered and when she accepted, Anne squealed like a child. Before Roy left her, he bowed politely and gently kissed the top of her hand, all the time looking at her with his charming smirk.

Riza chuckled inwardly, loving how he used every chance he could to tease her. When Brian came before her, they both bowed playfully before starting their second dance. While her first dance with Roy was more romantic, her second one with Brian was fun, full of turns and twirls.

"You're a good dancer Brian," Riza told him.

"Thank you. I took a few lessons when I was younger, but I'm afraid I forgot most of my steps. I have to say you're not so bad yourself." They continues that way until the middle of the song, when someone tapped Brian's shoulder and interrupted their dance.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if I could also have the pleasure of dancing with Riza." Andrew gave a hopeful smile to them, Brian nodded and handed Riza's hand to him. Andrew accepted gratefully and immediately resumed the dance.

"I don't think your boyfriend's very fond of me," was the first thing he said. Riza couldn't deny this fact and could only give him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry. He does get jealous pretty easily, but don't worry about it."

"No, it was my fault. I didn't know you were already with someone and, well, you know," he said nervously. "I didn't mean for it to seem that way in front of him. If I had known I would never-"

"Andrew, it's alright. Don't worry about it. I already explained it to him. We're just friends."

"Yeah." Riza could see a hint of sadness in his eyes, but before she could confirm it, it was gone, replaced by the sweet smile of her good friend. While they danced, they talked, smiled and he even made her laugh once. When their dance ended, he kissed the top of her hand and said, "It was a great pleasure dancing with you, Riza." Before she could answer, Roy was beside him, smiling politely.

"Excuse me, would it be alright if I could have her back now?" he said, with a little too much force.

"Of course, sir." Andrew backed away and waved at Riza, who waved back.

"Roy, you don't need to be so rude," she said after she was sure Andrew was out of earshot.

"I was not!" Roy retorted, sounding insulted. Riza rolled her eyes.

"I could swear I almost saw the daggers shooting out of your eyes," Riza joked.

"Well, they didn't, unfortunately." Riza glared at him and he looked away sheepishly.

Before long, Anne and Brian had to leave, since their babysitter could only stay till eleven. They bid them a good night and promised to see each other one last time before Riza and Roy went back to Central. When most people were starting to leave, they decided it was also their time to go back home. But before they could leave, Riza asked to go to the women's room and Roy waited for her outside, in the front of the hotel.

Roy stood by himself, nodding, waving and shaking hands with everyone who bid him goodnight. Suddenly he felt someone lightly touch his arm and turned around, thinking it was Riza. He came face to face with Ashley Harrisson, alone, her fiance no where in sight. He forced himself to smile.

"Good evening Fuhrer Mustang!" she said with her high pitched voice that made Roy cringe on the inside. "I'm so sorry I didn't have the time to come greet you tonight. I've been so busy with all my friends and the arrangements and all. You know, this reunion was organized by me, with the help of the Harrisson family. Do you know about us?"

"I'm afraid I can't say I do. I'm sure it's a good family." _Ha! Yeah right. A family that bring up a girl like her must be rotten to the core._ And Roy was right. The Harrisson's were merciless when it came to business. They wanted to monopolize the whole market and bankrupt all the small, local businesses. They didn't care about anyone but themselves. If anything could bring them profit or reputation, you were sure to see them sniffing around.

"Oh, yes it is. We're the richest family in this region of the country and our business is flourishing every year. You know, I would be honored to invite you to our estate for a day or two this week if you have the time." She blinked her eyes at him and wrapped her arms around his, pressing her fake breasts on his arm. Roy felt a shiver run up his spine and thought she looked like some kind of spider.

He gingerly freed himself from her grasp and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm here on vacation with Riza and I intend to spend all my time with her. It was kind of you to invite me though."

"Oh, why don't you come over one night. You don't need to tell Riza. It could be a secret just between the two of us," she suggested slyly. _I don't wan to associate with you, slut! Can't you see you disgust me? _Roy thought. He wished Riza would hurry and come save him.

"Aren't you engaged?" he tried asking, knowing full well she was.

"Yes, well, what he doesn't know won't hurt him. And if you want, I can always leave him for you." She smirked at him.

Roy's eyes narrowed and he felt his blood boil. How could this girl even suggest of doing something so cruel to her fiance. She was the type of girl that Roy hated the most: fake, hypocrite, stupid, selfish, showoff and unfaithful. How could he ever imagine leaving Riza for _her_, or for anyone. It had taken Roy almost ten years to get Riza and he could never think of leaving her for anyone else.

Before Roy could say anything else, there was a soft click and the oh-so-familiar cocking of a gun.

"I'm going to have to ask you to slowly step away from the Fuhrer, Ashley Harrisson, for invasion of his personal space." The cold barrel of her gun was pressed on the back of her head and Roy could see the colour leaving Ashley's face as she realized what was happening. Tears were welling in her eyes and she stuttered, trying to find something to say. But what most frightened Roy was the look Riza was giving this girl. Even he felt a bit bad for her, just a bit. Actually, he felt bad for anyone who had to face Riza's wrath, even himself sometimes.

"Wh- what? What the hell do you think you're doing? You're not allowed to have a gun! This is against the law! Fuhrer Mustang! This is against the law! D- Do something!" Ashley screeched, all the while shaking and sweating on the spot.

"Actually, since she is a high ranking officer in the military and also head of the Fuhrer's personal security, by law, she's allowed to possess a firearm and use it at as she sees fit." Roy stated, calmly.

"What? I didn't do anything wrong! I didn't put you in danger or threaten you! How could you let her treat me like this?"

"Shut up bitch." Riza's voice was low and full of contempt. "You tried to steal my boyfriend right in front of me and I judged it a good enough reason to shoot you. Now give me another reason why I shouldn't."

"The- the- the law. I- I-" she stammered, trying to find a valid reason.

"I am the law," Roy interrupted her. He stared down at her with a serious and imposing face, showing her she had no way out of this. She grimaced and was about to cry, when her fiance came running towards them, with a frantic look on his face.

"Baby, what's going on?" Riza slowly lowered her gun and put it away safely. Richard hugged her and looked at Roy and Riza frighteningly, while she cried in his arms.

"You should look after your fiance a little better. She was trying to seduce and steal my boyfriend," Riza said, her voice sharp and angry. Ashley and Richard's eyes widened and Riza saw a worried look pass through Ashley's face as she looked back at her fiance. Richard looked confused, while Ashley was trying to explain what had happened and denying her wrongs. They walked away quickly, trying to get as far as possible from Riza and her piercing glare.

It was quiet between them after they left. Roy glance at Riza and and her frowning, clearly still annoyed about what had just happened. "Are you alright Riza?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah," she huffed, "I just can't stand her."

"Yeah. I don't know how you put up with that for all your high school years. I would've hit her a long time ago."

"I wasn't a violent, savage girl. And if I did hit her, it would only get worse for me. By the way, would you have accepted her invitation if I hadn't interrupted?" She looked at him suspiciously.

Roy's mouth was agape, with a disgusted look on his face. Riza laughed hard and Roy followed suite. He hugged her and said, " I wouldn't leave you for anyone, not matter what. You have my word for that."

"Come, I want to bring you somewhere." Roy held her hand and tugged her forward.

"Now? It's already so late." Riza asked, concerned about their safety, even if they were the country's best sniper and the flame alchemist.

"Just come." When Roy was set on doing something, there was no stopping him, so Riza followed, trusting him like she always did. They walked for a long time and Riza could tell they were headed in the direction of their house.

"Are we just walking back home?" she asked.

"You'll see," Roy chuckled at her and she could see the mischievous look in his eyes. Riza was growing more and more curious by the minute and her eyes captured everything in their surrounding, trying to figure out where Roy was headed. When he took a left turn from the main road, leading them more into the forest, she frowned. She was sure they had come here once in their childhood but she just couldn't remember it.

When they came upon a clearing at the top of a small hill, Riza gasped. Her eyes grew wide with bewilderment and she smiled broadly. Roy squeezed her hand to get her attention and said, "I'm glad it's still here. Remember how we found this place by surprise? It was one of my favorite places, even now." Riza couldn't agree more. There was a large field of long, uncut grass, flowing gently with the breeze and what made this place magical were the fireflies that only came out at night. Riza moved forward slowly, followed by Roy, into the tall grass and let her hands touch and feel the air around them. The fireflies flew gently around them and some even came to land on Riza's hand when she extended it.

Roy couldn't be any happier in this moment, knowing he had made her this happy. She didn't have many good memories of her past and Roy was glad he could find one and make her relive her childhood. _Their_ childhood. The Riza he saw now reminded him so much of the young and innocent Riza in his memories. So much has happened in their lives, but in the end, they were still the same people they have always been.

"Riza," he called her gently. When she turned around and saw him, her face faltered and she stared at him like he had grown another head.

"What are you doing?" she asked cautiously, not trusting her voice.

"Will you marry me?" Roy was down on one knee and held a velvet box with a beautiful, single diamond ring on a platinum band inside it. He knew she liked things to be simple, especially jewelry, but he still wanted to make it special, so he got her a big one.

Riza stare at him, then at the ring and she continued to stare long and hard. Roy's muscles were tense and he was sweating bullets. He was already extremely nervous to begin with but now he felt like he would puke and faint any minute now. It was one of those rare moments when he couldn't read her emotions at all.

"Riza?" he whispered, afraid to scare her off. She seemed to snap out of her reveries and looked at him again. "Will- will you marry me? Please?" his question was barely above a whisper now. His stomach was now tied in a tight knot and he was having trouble breathing, although he was desperately trying to hide it.

The tears came suddenly to her eyes and she threw herself in his arms.

"Yes! Of course I'll marry you!" Roy gasped and hugged her back tightly, relieved and taking in deep breaths.

He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before asking, "Why did it take you so long to give me an answer? I was scared you were going to reject me."

"I wasn't sure if it was all a dream or if it was really reality. I didn't understand why you would want to marry someone like me," Riza said, embarrassed.

"Riza. We've already been through this and I won't say it again. But you know I love you and I wouldn't change anything about you. I want you, and I want all of you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and build a family with you," Roy said sincerely, looking strait at her.

"Me too Roy. I love you. Thank you for making me your wife," Riza smiled back at him and he lifted her left hand to put the ring on. It had a perfect fit.

"It's beautiful. How did you know my ring size?" Riza wondered.

"Let's just say a man has his sources." Roy refused to tell her the truth. In fact, when he was planning to buy the ring, he had borrowed their set of sizes and secretly tried them on her finger in the middle of the night, while she was asleep. It had been the toughest, most challenging mission he had ever taken in his entire life, but somehow he had succeeded.

"Alright, I won't pry." She kissed him full on the lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. On their knees, with the fireflies around them and the tall grass almost covering their heads, the picture was serene and beautiful.

Between their passionate kisses, he asked her, "so, did you like my proposal?" Riza chuckled and said, "loved it."

A few minutes later, they got up and walked slowly, hand in hand, back home.

"I'm going to put this in Ashley's face!" Riza suddenly said, breaking their comfortable silence. Roy could only laugh out loud at his fiance's childish thoughts.

* * *

><p>A.N.: Sorry it took so long to finish. Honestly, I started out motivated and full of ideas, but the more I wrote, the more nothing seemed to make sense. So it took me a long time to get back into it. But since I don't like to leave things undone, I just had to finish it no matter what. Sorry if it's not to your taste. And I didn't really reread it, so I hope it's not too bad. I'll reread it one day, but I hate doing that...<p>

I have a next story in mind, but this time I'll write it all before starting to post the chapters, so at least the updates will be regular. See you soon!

D


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